Design Thinking is a process for creative problem solving. It critically has a human centered core. It encourages organizations to focus on the people they are creating a product or a service for, which leads to better product, services and internal processes. It is an interative process in which we seek to understand the user, and redefine problems in an attempt to identify alternative strategies and solutions that might not be instantly apparent with our initial level of understanding. At the same time, Design Thinking provides a solution-based approach to solving problems. It is a way of thinking and working as well as a collection of hands-on methods.
In recent times, the efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 are taking a major toll on global economy, forcing businesses to shut down, cut jobs, reducing workers’ ability to go to work, and place an extra burden of care on parents and particularly on youths. There is therefore a huge demand and focus on youths developing certain skills or skillset to enable them remain employable or earn a living outside a normal circular job. Therefore, the need for skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development to sustain a healthy nation. Hence, design thinking is relevant in getting into the minds of the type of customers they intend to target.
Design Thinking also involves ongoing experimentation: sketching, prototyping, testing, and trying out concepts and ideas.
Humans naturally develop patterns of thinking modeled on repetitive activities and commonly accessed knowledge. These assist us in quickly applying the same actions and knowledge in similar or familiar situations, but they also have the potential to prevent us from quickly and easily accessing or developing new ways of seeing, understanding and solving problems.
The Skill Acquisition Centre which was commissioned in 2017 by the Former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, on behalf of the Enugu State Governor, currently produces an average of 200 bags per month and turns out an average of ten skilled producers every year. It has the capacity to train up to 3000 yearly, under the Train-the-Trainers Scheme, when fully developed.
The Covid-19 pandemic has no doubt worsened the national and global economic crisis and made things more difficult for women and youths. With the projected 39.6million job losses in Nigeria due to Covid-19, the socio-economic situation of the women and youths will certainly be aggravated, as more people, especially women and youths will become jobless and increased pressure for daily essential needs on the mothers.
Design Thinking revolves around a deep interest in developing an understanding of the people for whom we’re designing the products or services. It helps us observe and develop empathy with the target user. Design Thinking helps us in the process of questioning: questioning the problem, questioning the assumptions and questioning the implications. Design Thinking is extremely useful in tackling problems that are ill-defined or unknown, by re-framing the problem in human-centric ways, creating many ideas in brainstorming sessions, and adopting a hands-on approach in prototyping and testing.
At the Skills centre, these women and youths are taught how to design products (bags, belts and other fantastic leather works absolutely putting in mind the needs of the customers. This strategy enables BSOF Skills Acquisition Centre to turn out high quality products and at the same time empowering the youths to build their own businesses and hence, earn a healthy and worthy means of livelihood.
BSOF strategy and message to the youths and nation as a whole is to essentially equip themselves in skills education; and BSOF message to other individuals, organizations, and the government is to invest thoroughly in developing a tradition of engaging youths and mentoring them to acquire skills in addition to a formal education and if perhaps uneducated, an informal education is advised.  This will meaningfully contribute towards reducing the socioeconomic impact of Covid-19. During one of our Sponsorship/Partnership meetings with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development of Nigeria (SMEDAN) Deputy Director Baba Ibrahim said, “If all Nigerians could be like BSOF, and do as much as we are doing by reaching the hopeless, providing skills training for the women and youths inclusive of the physically challenged persons; then Nigeria would certainly be a better place”.

Anukwu Rosemary Isioma is a beneficiariary of the free training program of Barrister Sam Otoboeze Skills Acquisition Centre in Ochima Enugu State. Her strong desire to learn how to make dresses and beads making was rralized  through benevolence showed to her and several other women and youths inclusive of the People Living with Disability (PLWD). Rosemary is an amputee who was assisted with an artificial (prostethic) limb and a small scale business take off grant of N50,000 (about $115) in November. Intrestingly, today Rosemary has a successful business in fashion and designing and beads making.
Her bead making business has provided her multiple streams of income, where she not only makes the beads and sells but also rents them to customers as wedding adornments/ ornaments for their marriages. The 360 degrees complete circle  is almost completed as, Rosemary is engaged to be married in October 2020.